Past Continuous
Past Continuous
Simple Definition
The past continuous means that at a time in the past we were in the middle of an action.
Formal Definition
The tense is used to explain (or describe) actions that started in the past and often continued for a short period of time after the action started. The past continuous tense explains actions or events that happened at a specific time in the past or memory.
FORMULA / STRUCTURE
Subject + BE [was / were] + Verb [fourth form (an-ing)]
Fourth form of verb is called Present Participle form and an –ing form.
BASIC
EXAMPLES
→ I was playing cricket.
→ We were playing that day.
→ You were watching TV.
→ Yaqoob was reading a book.
→ Yaqoob and Aslam were reading a book.
→ He was working.
→ She was drawing.
→ It was raining.
→ They were playing.
NEGATIVE EXAMPLES
For negative we use [was not = wasn’t] [were not = weren’t]
→ I was not playing cricket. OR I wasn’t playing cricket.
→ Yaqoob was not reading a book. OR Yaqoob wasn’t reading a book.
→ You were not watching TV. OR You weren’t watching TV.
INTERROGATIVE / QUESTION
For interrogative we use [was] [were]
→ Was Yaqoob reading a book?
→ Was Yaqoob not reading a book? OR Wasn’t Yaqboob reading a book?
→ Were you watching TV?
→ Were you not watching TV? OR Weren’t you watching TV?
We had a wonderful time last morning. We were playing in a park. The sun was shining, and the birds were chirping. It was very beautiful. The cherry flowers were blooming.
Chirping (پرندوں کا چہچہانا)
Blooming (پہول کِھلنا)
INTERMEDIATE
Read Yaqoob and Aslam’s conversation:
It was raining at four o'clock means that at four o'clock we were in the middle of a period of rain. The rain began before four and stopped some time after four.
We were working all afternoon means that the action went on for the whole period.
We use the continuous with actions. We do not normally use it with state verbs. For states we use the past simple.
↷ I didn't know where you were.
NOT I wasn't knowing…
(i) growth or change
↷ My grandmother English was improving.
↷ Her hair was going grey.
↷ Her hair was going grey.
↷ The market was changing quickly.
↷ The students were growing up quickly in the school.
(ii) a specific time
↷ It was seven o'clock. She was cooking food.
Compare: At seven o'clock She cooked (= started cooking) food.
↷ It was four o'clock. He was writing a letter.
Compare: At eight o'clock He wrote (= started writing) some letters.
(iii) continued for some time:
↷ My head was aching.
↷ The class was shouting.
↷ The class was shouting.
(iv) happened again and again:
↷ My neighbours were always quarrelling.
↷ I was doing practice every week, two times a day.
↷ They were meeting secretly after school.
↷ They were meeting secretly after school.
ADVANCE
The past continuous tense is also used to talk about something which happened before and after another action:
↷ The student was doing his homework when his mother arrived.
Compare: The student did his homework when (= after) his mother got home.
↷ I was waiting for the bus when my friend drove right past me.
This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:
↷ Last week, as he was planning to work, …
↷ The other day I was waiting for a bus when …
We do not normally use the past continuous with state verbs. We use the past simple instead:
↷ When I got home, I really needed my shoes.
NOT When I got home, I was really needing my shoes.
↷ I didn't know where you were.
NOT I wasn't knowing …